Rethinking the Rapture: A Biblical Perspective

Some of the most heated theological debates I’ve observed over the years have been about eschatology – the theology of the end times. Some people take their eschatology so seriously. They doubt the salvation of others who disagree with them. Shocking, I know, but I’ve seen it. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been pondering the end times. I’ve focused particularly on the idea of ‘the rapture’. It’s the belief that Christians will suddenly be taken away to be with Christ, leaving everyone else behind. Bold statement from the outset – I do not believe in the rapture.

The idea of a secret rapture is a new school of thought. It seems to originate from the 1830’s. This idea was then picked up by various groups. One of these groups was the followers of Edward Irving (1792-1834). John Darby (1880-1882) promoted it further. The idea of a secret rapture, and the dispensationalism that often accompanies such a view, became very popular in the United States in the late 1800’s with the rise of so-called ‘prophecy conferences’. The idea was made more popular in recent years with the ‘left behind’ fiction series and the subsequent movies about the books.

Some of the portions of Scripture that people would go to, in order to support their view of a secret rapture are;

• Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21

These passages are from Jesus’ teaching on the end times. There is no mention of a rapture that takes his followers away from certain events that would follow (depending on your theological position some believe that the rapture comes before the great tribulation, others believe after it). Some people might argue that because Jesus speaks of people being left behind (Matthew 24:40-41, for example) hints at a rapture. However, looking at the passages in their context the emphasis is on the suddenness of the arrival of Christ, the focus is not on those taken away or those ‘left behind)

• 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

Paul’s emphasis in this text is to do with the resurrection of believers who have died upon Christ’s return, there is no indication in the text to suggest that believers will be resurrected, caught up to be with Christ to return at some future date.

• 1 Thessalonians 4

If you’ve heard about the rapture before, you must have heard of ‘the rapture passage’ – 1 Thessalonians 4:17 “After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” People can see the words “meet the Lord in the air” and jump to their theological convictions that the Lord’s people will be raptured. However, looking at the context, Paul is writing to correct the idea that those who had died before seeing the return of Jesus were somehow at a disadvantage.

The Greek word used in this passage for ‘meet’ (apantēsis) is only found in two other places in the New Testament – Matthew 25:6, in Jesus’ eschatological parable of the virgins waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom, they meet him and go into the wedding banquet, and in Acts 28:15 where Romans believers travel to meet Paul and return with him to Rome as their honoured guest. The idea given in these passages and the use of the word is that people go out to meet someone and then immediately return with them, even secular Greek texts use the same word to describe a welcoming party going out to welcome a high ranking person and welcoming them into a city or town.

There are other texts that people would go to in order to support their eschatological view, but those are more to do with suffering and tribulation. Personally, I am not convinced that the rapture (as it is commonly spoken about as a sudden removal of Christians for a set period of time) is a right way of understanding the biblical texts, rather it is a theological position that is read into a text.

As I understand 1 Thessalonians 4 the Lord’s people who have died as Christ returns will be raised from the dead, caught up to meet him as he returns and come back immediately with him to bring judgment and made all things new. The more I read the end times passages of the Bible, the so-called rapture and the second coming of Christ are one and the same in my mind (passages that I would go to to wrestle with this concept are Matthew 24, 1 Thessalonians 4 and 2 Thessalonians 2). In addition to the biblical evidence, I am skeptical of a doctrine that is as young as the modern idea of the rapture is, when reading church history most authors would hold to the idea that the Second Coming of Christ is a single events rather than a series of events which will span a set number of years.

I know many faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who would hold very strongly to the idea of a rapture. However, the more I study Scripture, the more I have to respectfully disagree. Notice the key word ‘respectfully’. This is not a hill to die on, but a theological concept that has been kicking around my brain for a few weeks. I hope you’ve enjoyed a bit of the journey with me.